The LED approach encourages establishment of multi-actor partnerships and ensures joint development of local solutions to the existing economic challenges. Through multi-stakeholder dialogues as well as thorough analyses of current economic situations and conditions of public services and infrastructure at local level, LED helps identify concrete development opportunities and create competitive business locations at local level. This consequently can lead to a reduction in poverty as well as geographic disparities and enable sustainable economic growth.

The workshop, which was the second of its kind

• facilitated the exchange of experiences among municipal practitioners from Lebanon and from Germany ,

• analysed the local context, identify challenges and elaborate strategies for local economic development,

• formulated concrete project ideas and envisaged solutions for resolving challenges on local economic development.

Subjects of exchange were geared specifically towards defining local strategic frameworks for LED in Lebanese municipalities that aim to

• strengthen local leadership on LED strategy and action,

• improve municipal infrastructure and public services related to LED,

• develop local marketing concepts and sectoral economic strategies at local level,

• enhance innovation and value chains in the context of regional, urban-rural linkages,

• enhance entrepreneurial skills for integration of the informal sector.

On the first day German participants presented insights from their strategic approaches and “good practices” on local economic development. A special focus was set on the question of how to assure a private-sector-led and implementation-led LED approach considering the challenges presented by participants from Lebanon. In working groups participants defined the essential components of an LED strategy to start a local process of their own.

On the second day, participants continued with the reflection on key criteria for LED and on case experiences from Germany under consideration of own challenges. The identification and promotion of competitive advantages, the reflection on organisational requirements as well as the identification of inter-municipal LED initiatives formed the key focus, and open challenges on local economic development were discussed in peer-to-peer meetings.

The third day of the workshop opened the space for additional peer-to-peer-exchange and set out to provide participants with a strategic vision and tangible results towards improving LED in their cities, distinguishing between short-term action and medium-to-longer term LED projects for which external know how and partnerships would be requested.

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Welcome Adresses & Introduction

• Mrs Faten ABOU HASSAN, Director General of Departments and Municipal Councils in the Ministry of Interior
• Dr. Bechir Odeimi, President Cités Unies Liban/BTVL
• Mr. Raymond Tarabay and Mr. Christian Kirchen, German Embassy
• Dr. Christiane Gaehtgens, GIZ Lebanon
• Dr. Manfred Poppe, Connective Cities
  Connective Cities Introduction

Good Practice Presentations

Topic 1: How to initiate demand-driven LED initiatives with and not for the private sector  

Petra Thieme:
Promoting a tourism lighthouse project as a starting point for additional and related tourism marketing initiatives

Topic 2: Designing LED projects to promote and link existing businesses, new start-ups and investors

Thomas Lilienthal:
Initiating and linking concrete LED initiatives through a green business park, investments and start-up promotion

Topic 3: Promoting competitive advantages in a city through professional private sector and municipality organization

Dr. Clemens Götz, Mayor of the Municipality of Althengstett:
Making a difference as a small city through promoting business organisations and market-led initiatives

Topic 4: Promoting competitive advantages through the initiation of inter-municipal LED initiatives to overcome isolated municipal LED efforts

Birgit Neyer, Executive Director of Local Economic Development Agency of Steinfurt District:
Promotion of a start-up network and a business angel network through the cooperation of cities in a region
 

Further Input

Caritas Lebanon:
LED Project on Christmas Village

Silvia Boehmsdorff, Engagement Global/ SKEW:
IKKN Support mechanisms for municipal project partnerships

Dr. Fawaz Hamidi, Director at BIAT (Business Incubation Association in Tripolis)
Site Visit BIAT Tripolis

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